Report Title:

Hawaiian Humane Society; Neutering and Tagging Pets

RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, every year tens of thousands of healthy and adoptable cats and dogs are killed because there are too many animals and not enough homes. The traditional solution for pet overpopulation has been euthanasia; however, euthanasia is actually a response to the crisis and not a solution; and

WHEREAS, eight to twelve million cats and dogs end up in animal shelters every year in the United States, and the rest are usually left to roam the streets. At least half of these sheltered animals — between four and six million — will be euthanized if they're not adopted; and

WHEREAS, a single cat is capable of having three litters of four to six kittens a year. That means that she and her offspring can theoretically produce 420,000 cats in seven years. One dog, who can have two litters a year of six to ten puppies, can produce 67,000 dogs in six years with the help of her offspring; and

WHEREAS, the push to fill pet shop windows has resulted in "puppy mills", which are unhealthy and cruel warehouses where dogs are bred. There have also been reports of overwhelmed shelters offering their animals to labs for experimentation. The emptier animal shelters are, the less chance this will happen; and

WHEREAS, many animals in shelters have been abandoned not because they are bad tempered or unattractive, but because their owners only wanted a puppy to play with — and then that puppy grew up. Older pets are often more relaxed, loyal, and well behaved, and usually already house-trained; and

WHEREAS, neutered pets tend to live longer than unneutered pets. Pet experts say that sterilization actually leads to healthier and longer lives for domestic animals. Neutered pets have drastically reduced chances of suffering from a number of health problems, which can be costly and difficult to treat. Spayed females do not suffer from uterine or ovarian cancer and are highly unlikely to suffer from breast cancer. In male animals, neutering drastically reduces the chances of prostate difficulties; and

WHEREAS, neutered pets are also more loving and better tempered pets. Neutered cats are less likely to mark their territory, and neutered pets are generally less likely to bite. While neutering isn't a cure-all for all behavior problems, in combination with training it can mean drastic changes in a pet's behavior--almost always for the better. Male dogs or cats who are neutered are much less likely to run away or get into fights; and

WHEREAS, with increased numbers of homeless animals in Hawaii, there has been an annual rise in dog bites and attacks, torn open garbage containers, feces in public and private areas, and angry, frightened citizens who do not understand the misery of these unwanted pets. Additionally, homeless animals disturb the ecological balance by scaring away or killing native birds and wildlife in Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, there is a need to reduce the size of the homeless animal population in the State for the health, safety, and welfare of the people of Hawaii; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2001, the Senate concurring, that the Hawaiian Humane Society is requested to neuter, spay, and tag all dogs, cats, and other animals brought into the State as pets; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Executive Director of the Hawaiian Humane Society and the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture.